“When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions.” — hamlet, William Shakespeare. In other words, trouble comes in twos. Look and you will see that this is the reality plaguing the local economy and, by extension, the ordinary majority.

The Jamaican economy was cruising proudly through the waves when it was hit by a giant and inescapable iceberg. Hurricane Melissa was one of the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded. Hurricane Melissa is estimated to have caused US$12.2 billion in total damage and losses, equivalent to approximately 56.7 per cent of Jamaica’s 2024 gross domestic product (GDP), as estimated by the Inter-American Development Bank in March 2026.

Forty-five Jamaicans died as a consequence of Melissa making landfall on our beautiful shores. I have previously detailed the near-catastrophic impact on tourism; housing; business, particularly small businesses; jobs; agriculture; schools; and other crucial areas. “Bad luck is worse than obeah,” we Jamaicans say. Misfortune can hit harder than witchcraft. Israel and the United States struck Iran in February, 218 days ago. Oil prices have been rising since then.

We do not yet produce commercial crude. In this crippling whirlpool of dislocation and despondency the ship of Jamaica has remained afloat. Repairs have started to take place, admittedly more slowly than expected according to our captain, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness.

I believe he was being euphemistic when he made this admission. Because for nearly a year after Hurricane Melissa rammed into Jamaica’s hull, some of the repair crew remain fast asleep. Some are half awake, while some are working beyond the call of duty. Ordinary Jamaicans are feeling the pinch of this great disconnection in our lives and livelihoods.

In my The Agenda column of July 14, 2026 I warned: “Many Jamaicans will soon forget that nearly 8 months ago, one of the most powerful hurricanes in recorded history landed on our shores. If the Andrew Holness-led Administration does not appre ciably increase its delivery so that many more ordinary Jamaicans feel it in our pockets and see it on our dinner tables, the legitimate cry of a critical mass will quickly become: ‘The hurricane gone and pass long time, and JLP nah 7 nor 11.’ ”

Some wisely heeded the reminder and warning. Others best dewax their ears. We continued an examination of top eight performing Government ministers.

3) Fayval Williams

The minister of finance and the public service evidently does not seem to have ears plugged with political and related wax. She is often criticised for having a sed ative-like style. But compared to some others of the Cabinet’s crew, she is plainly much more awake at this critical time.

Sobriety and speed (there is no contradiction) are critical in the “build back better” commitment made by Captain Holness. Common sense says a lot of money is needed and will be needed in order to fulfil the captain’s commitment. Simultaneously, every cent must be judiciously spent. “Run wid it,” or profligacy will sink the ship of Jamaica. It did before. One of the core functions of the minister of finance is not to commit Jamaica to spending that cannot be afforded.

She has been doing so expertly. Some public sector unions have been clamouring for wage increases that would collapse Jamaica into runaway inflation and another borrowing arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). That would be equivalent to economic suicide. I have lived in Jamaica all my life, except when I have travelled for different reasons. I have seen that movie before; the end was always severely tragic.

It is far better to use our own money and repair the ship of Jamaica than to borrow billions and lose total ownership. Another borrowing arrangement with the IMF would not advance our national interests now. Williams has studiously managed the national purse. Despite the big setback caused by Melissa and the oil crisis, which some experts say is worse than the 1970s, there has been no noticeable capital flight and our international credit rating remains strong.

Our net international reserves (NIR) are healthy at ap proximately US$6.64 billion as at the end of August 2026, according to the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ). The economy is recovering steadily. Some will absent-mindedly or ignorantly say, “What’s the use of having billions in the bank while some members of the family have big needs?” The Prodigal Son in the Bible made that argument. I am sure we all know what became of him. It is pure common sense to learn especially from the bad experiences of others and not to repeat them.

The evidence is, Williams is managing our money well.

4) Edmund Bartlett

“Today, approximately 80 per cent of our hotels islandwide have reopened, with the remaining properties expected to resume operations in the first quarter of 2027,” Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett gave this update at the start of last month.

Hundreds of Jamaicans who directly earn their livelihood from our number-one foreign exchange earner have returned to work. Thousands who benefit indirectly from the industry are again able to put a pot on fire with greater confidence.

The tourism numbers are recovering fast despite the increased costs of international travel and related factors. In 2025, tourism contributed approximately US$3.8 billion in revenue to the Jamaican economy, welcoming around 3.7 million visitors despite disruptions from Melissa late in the year. As of August 31, 2026, Jamaica’s tourism sector contributed approximately US$2.5 billion in revenue to the economy and welcomed 2.34 million visitors. At the recent launch of the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX), Bartlett said, “Jamaica is open and is ready to welcome more opportunities.”

Jamaica has won many awards under his leadership.

Robert Morgan and Pearnel Charles Jr

5) Robert Morgan

As of June 2026, 109 roads have been completed under the SPARK (Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network) Programme. Jamaicans were promised that the SPARK Programme would spark resilience in road construction. Morgan, the minister of economic growth and infrastructure devel opment with responsibility for works, told Parliament in June that nine work orders valued at $18 billion have been instituted, covering 369 community roads across four packages.

He gave a commitment that, “No road will be handed over to the Government under the SPARK Programme unless it is approved by the independent consultant who has to inspect all the roads. If the road is handed over and we discover that by the acts or omissions of the contractor something happened to the road, the contractor is obligated to go back and fix the road. It’s the first time that community roads — parish council roads — are getting this standard.”

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Anyway, SPARK, is sparking, so far.

6) Pearnel Charles Jr

Publicly available information says Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr has overseen more than $10 billion in targeted recovery and relief initiatives following the historic Category 5 devastation of Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.

Charles spearheaded the Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) Programme, channel ling approximately $9.5 billion directly into rebuilding and repairing damaged roofs and homes.

His ministry deserves commendation for its timely implementation of an automated verification system — the Shelter Recovery Programme (SRP) — that assessed over 114,000 house holds, letting verified residents receive aid without navigating complex application processes. Accessing various benefits from his ministry was a problem for some weeks after Hurricane Melissa. By and large, those pain points were resolved with alacrity.

Charles’ management of the $1 billion Solidarity Programme Support, which was set up to deliver emergency cash grants to low-income earners, seniors, and disaster-impacted small businesses, is creditable.

7) Matthew Samuda

Matthew Samuda

Information in the public domain says that recent capital investments have improved water supply for over 185,000 citizens through dozens of con current projects islandwide.

Water — like landownership, settlement, and resentment — is one of the greatest pain points in this country. Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change Matthew Samuda said recently that the Government is investing more than $15 billion into the water sector this year to address long-standing infrastructure issues.

He said that improvement works will be carried out across water, sewage treatment, and irrigation. Samuda says that the investment by the Government aims to achieve water resilience through a series of strategic projects to modernise pipes, treatment plants, and irrigation systems across the island. Jamaicans will have fewer and fewer water lock offs and better water quality in the very near future. This is how folks interpret water resilience. Samuda has been attending multiple international forums.

What is the return on the investment, especially for ordinary Jamaicans?

8) Floyd Green

Information in the public domain says that the agricultural sector is rebounding with support another $3 billion was provided from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining headed by Floyd Green. The Ministry says that “Days after the passage of the hurricane, its Disaster Recovery Committee was activated and $450 million immediately redirect ed to recovery efforts. Weeks later, by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.” (Jamaica Information Service, March 21, 2026).

Those who visit Coronation Market can attest to the fact that many of the cash crops — these are fast-growing, high-value agricultural produce sold for quick profit, including short-term vegetables and major traditional export commodities — are now available, but the high prices of some make them unavailable to many Jamaicans. Supply and demand are the culprits. Some industry players say some prices will be lower by this Christmas. Green said 81 farm roads were re habilitated across the island over the past year. He also deserves commendation for many innovations taking place in the agricultural sector.

PULL UP YOUR SOCKS!

There are members of the Cabinet who are just not putting sufficient runs on the scoreboard. Those who do not see or don’t want to accept that are living in la la land. They don’t under stand that a big photo oppor tunity without definite results is zero. Folks are not interested in carefully choreographed optics minus results that make their lives personally better. Generous apportionment of ‘soon comes’, reannouncements that take on a Methuselah character camouflaged with grandiose speeches, and presentations which end up in sound-bite history and nothing else do not impress especially middle Jamaica.

Discerning folks are not impressed by the size of the entourage that travels with government officials. That cannot light the stove under our pots. There are out-of-form batters in the Cabinet who continual ly make excuses for failure to dispatch mediocre bowling to the boundary. They are letting down the batting side. And, much more importantly, they are failing the Jamaican people. I said it here before, but it bears repeating: I don’t believe some in the Cabinet are demonstrating the required energy needed at this time.

Lack of empathetic, meaningful, and urgent action is proof. “The system does not work unless energy, meaning determination, decisiveness, force fulness, and efficiency, is in the executive,” said Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s founding fathers. I agree I believe a Cabinet shake-up is needed at this time. A shake-up, I think, would apply some heat to the feet of some who, to me, are not firing on all cylinders.

Some in the Administration might be of the mistaken view that the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has all of four long years to restore and rebuild. Imprudent legislators in the JLP need to un derstand that, especially for the ordinary Jamaican, the time left on the Administration’s watch exists only in the present. Folks’ watches show only one time. That time is today. Rapid resto ration of lives and livelihoods is what is important. And they are important today! A word to the wise should be sufficient, as we often say.

Garfield Higgins is an educator and journalist. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or higgins160@yahoo.com